Mary Ann Priester, PhD, MSW
Senior Management Analyst
Mecklenburg County Community Support Services
Housing instability, homelessness, and stable housing represent interconnected stages along a single housing continuum. Each stage reflects whether households are able to obtain and maintain safe, affordable, and sustainable housing over time. Understanding how households move along this continuum helps clarify both the causes of housing instability and homelessness and the solutions required to improve housing stability.
This blog is the fifth and final post in a five-part series examining findings from the 2025 State of Housing Instability and Homelessness (SOHIH) Report. This post brings together key findings from across the housing continuum and examines what these findings reveal about housing stability and housing access in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
HOUSING INSTABILITY DRIVES HOMELESSNESS
Housing instability represents the earliest stage of housing loss and affects far more households than homelessness. High levels of housing cost burden, limited affordable housing supply, and eviction filings indicate that many households are struggling to maintain housing stability. When households are unable to afford housing or experience financial disruptions, they face increased risk of housing loss. Most households experiencing homelessness were previously housed but became destabilized due to rising housing costs, eviction, or loss of income. Preventing homelessness requires addressing housing instability before housing loss occurs. Strategies that reduce housing cost burden, preserve affordable housing, and provide rental assistance, help stabilize households and reduce inflow into homelessness.
HOMELESSNESS REFLECTS BOTH HOUSING INSTABILITY AND HOUSING ACCESS
Homelessness reflects both the number of households entering homelessness and the ability of the housing system to help households exit homelessness. When more households lose housing, inflow into homelessness increases. When access to permanent housing is limited, households remain homeless longer. Emergency shelter provides critical short-term support, but permanent housing is necessary to resolve homelessness. Access to permanent housing directly influences how quickly households can exit homelessness and regain housing stability. Reducing homelessness requires both preventing housing loss and expanding access to permanent housing.
STABLE HOUSING PROVIDES THE SOLUTION
Stable housing represents the endpoint of the housing continuum and the most effective solution to housing instability and homelessness. When households have access to permanent housing they can afford, they are able to maintain housing stability and avoid future housing loss. Rental assistance and deeply affordable housing are essential to ensuring that households with the lowest incomes can maintain stable housing. Without access to affordable housing, households remain vulnerable to ongoing housing instability. Expanding access to stable housing improves housing outcomes and reduces the likelihood that households will experience future homelessness.
THE HOUSING CONTINUUM REFLECTS SYSTEM DYNAMICS
The housing continuum illustrates how housing instability, homelessness, and stable housing are connected. Housing instability increases the risk of homelessness. Homelessness persists when permanent housing is unavailable. Stable housing allows households to exit homelessness and maintain housing stability. These dynamics reflect the relationship between housing affordability, housing supply, and housing access. When affordable housing supply is limited and housing costs increase, more households experience housing instability and homelessness. Understanding these system dynamics helps clarify how housing conditions influence housing outcomes across the community.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Housing stability affects not only individual households but also broader community outcomes. Stable housing supports workforce participation, educational continuity, and health. Housing instability and homelessness can disrupt these outcomes and create additional challenges for households and communities. The findings from the State of Housing Instability and Homelessness Report highlight the importance of addressing housing challenges across the entire housing continuum. Efforts to prevent housing instability, reduce homelessness, and expand access to stable housing are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Strengthening housing stability requires continued investment in affordable housing, rental assistance, and housing stability programs. These efforts help ensure that households can obtain and maintain stable housing over time. Understanding the housing continuum helps inform strategies to improve housing stability and reduce homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. In Mecklenburg County, more than 108,000 renter households are cost-burdened, more than 52,000 eviction filings occur annually, and more than 2,600 individuals are currently experiencing homelessness. These data illustrate how housing instability, homelessness, and access to stable housing are interconnected and reinforce the importance of strengthening housing stability across the entire housing continuum.
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